Wychwood Festival

Cheltenham Racecourse

20th Edition

Apply to Play Winners announced!

Apply to Play Winners announced!

Every year, the talent pool for our Apply to Play scheme gets deeper and we’re constantly blown away, and 2026 was no exception. We’ve scoured through thousands of entries to find the gems that will soundtrack your weekend. From teenage rockers to cinematic folk masters, here are the artists joining us this summer.

We’ve also teamed up with 2025 winners Truck to pick their favourite from this year's applicants.

Drinking With Lucy

Saturday, Main Stage

Drinking With Lucy – Baby I’m Driving
Drinking With Lucy – Baby I’m Driving

Since storming onto the scene just two years ago, Gloucestershire’s own Drinking With Lucy (previously Chunky Fingers) blending '90s-influenced rock with infectious, guitar-driven melodies, this 5-piece has already cracked the Top 80 of the UK Rock Charts with their debut single Baby I’m Driving. With 750,000 likes on TikTok and a glowing endorsement from BBC Radio’s Dean Jackson as a “breakthrough band”, they are the perfect high-octane fuel to kick off your Saturday Main Stage action.

Freya Dalgarno

Thursday, Garden Stage

Freya Dalgarno – Sick to the Stomach
Freya Dalgarno – Sick to the Stomach

Kickstarting your festival on the Garden Stage, Freya Dalgarno is a master of the indie-pop metaphor. Writing since 2023, Freya uses her poignant lyrics to bridge the gap between artist and audience, supported by the rhythmic backbone of Patrick McGonnell-Burrows and Dan Rayner. Following the release of her 2025 debut album Out of my Depth, expect an atmospheric set that balances soaring melodies with deep emotional resonance.

Lo-Hi-Lo

Friday, Garden Stage

Lo-Hi-Lo – Sunshine was born
Lo-Hi-Lo – Sunshine was born

Formed in 2022, Stroud’s very own Lo-Hi-Lo are a beautiful collision of textures. Think the fragile, folk-tinged beauty of Grizzly Bear meeting the jagged, post-punk edges of Joy Division. Featuring a rich arrangement of keys and saxophone, their sound is both noisy and heartfelt. As Good On Paper aptly put it, Ben Brockett’s vocals “flutter melody down over the pounding noise of the rhythm section.” It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it’s uniquely raw.

Loophole

Sunday, Main Stage

Loophole – Laissez Faire
Loophole – Laissez Faire

Proving that the kids are more than alright, Loophole arrive at Wychwood fresh from winning Battle of the Bands competitions across the region. Balancing A-Levels and GCSEs with a soaring music career, these 16 and 17-year-olds from Cheltenham and Stroud deliver high-energy pop-rock with a sophisticated jazz-blues edge. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Romey Smogur, they are the local success story you need to see before they inevitably head for the stratosphere.

Luc Franklyn

Friday, Main Stage

Luc Franklyn – live
Luc Franklyn – live

Gloucestershire’s Luc Franklyn brings a maturity to the stage that defies his years. Drawing from the traditions of folk and Americana, Luc’s music feels like a conversation in a quiet room-warm acoustic textures layered with ethereal pads. Whether he’s busking in the city or commanding a festival stage, his storytelling explores the quiet complexities of the natural world and the human heart. Grab a drink, find a spot, and let his soulful guitar work wash over you.

Pavey Ark

Sunday, Main Stage

Pavey Ark – Your Sweet Time
Pavey Ark – Your Sweet Time

Hailing from Hull, Pavey Ark are a cinematic force of nature. Their sound is an orchestral-folk tapestry of strings, horns, and finger-picked guitars that has already earned them slots at Glastonbury and SXSW. Their latest album, More Time, More Speed, was mixed by LA producer Paul Butler (Michael Kiwanuka) and even secured a spot on the 2026 Record Store Day list. Prepare for a sublime, expansive performance that echoes the brilliance of Nick Drake and Radiohead.

Picked by Truck: Pebble Daisy

Saturday, Garden Stage

Pebble Daisy – It Would Be A Lie
Pebble Daisy – It Would Be A Lie

Emerging from a creative upbringing in the Southwest, Pebble Daisy delivers a distinctive blend of 90s indie rock, dream-pop, and shoegaze that captures the modern angst of heartbreak. For her, music is more than just sound-it’s a political statement and a refusal to conform. Her performance is a masterclass in sonic contrast; expect intimate, confessional lyrics wrapped in shimmering distorted guitars, growly bass tones, and hard-hitting, marching drums. With a deep, sultry voice that carries a captivating raspy edge, she drives her melodies forward with an authenticity that is impossible to ignore. It’s raw, rebellious, and beautifully textured.

Pebble is making some big moves in the local scene – we’ve had the privilege of sharing a couple of line-ups with them and their live show always delivers. Big things are on the way!

Tan Sholto

Friday, Main Stage

Tan Sholto – Changing
Tan Sholto – Changing

South African-born Tan Sholto describes her music as “a soft place to land”, and we couldn't agree more. In a world of chaos, her set is a dedicated space for stillness and reflection. Her songs are gentle invitations to feel and heal, offering a sense of peace that resonates long after the final note. If you’re looking for a moment of quiet magic amidst the festival buzz, Tan’s soulful performance is where you’ll find it.

The Callbirds

Friday, Main Stage

The Callbirds – Close To Me
The Callbirds – Close To Me

If you’ve got a soft spot for the classic rock lineage of Fleetwood Mac and Wings, The Callbirds are your new favorite band. From Cheltenham to Abbey Road, and even occasional jaunts to LA, this group has been busy honing a sound that feels timeless yet fresh. Expect a high-energy cocktail of riff-heavy blues-rock, Americana anthems, and pop hooks so sharp they’ll be stuck in your head until next year’s festival.

The Burway

Sunday, Garden Stage

The Burway – live
The Burway – live

The Burway create what they call "folk-adjacent" music-rooted in tradition but restless enough to experiment with electronic textures and synths. Born from the members of Grasscourt, the band features the soaring harmonies and anthemic choruses that have become their trademark. It’s music that stomps one minute and whispers the next, making them a must-watch as the festival draws to a close.

Underscore

Saturday, Garden Stage

Underscore – Another Man
Underscore – Another Man

Cheltenham 5-piece Underscore are currently the coolest kids on the local block. Channeling the grit of Fontaines D.C. and the indie-cool of The Strokes, they pair driving rock energy with songwriting inspired by the likes of Leonard Cohen. Raw, poetic, and undeniably catchy, they are leading the charge for the next generation of UK indie.

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